Episode 397
Stan Lai, Playwright, Director, Author of CreativitRy
Today we’re honored to welcome Stan Lai, one of the world’s most celebrated playwrights and theatre directors. He has been called by one critic ‘the major contemporary Asian playwright of his time, perhaps of all time’ and by the BBC ‘the best Chinese-language playwright and director in the world’.
Born in the U.S. and raised in both America and Taiwan, Stan earned his PhD from UC Berkeley before launching a groundbreaking career in Taiwan that now spans over 40 acclaimed plays, including masterpieces like A Dream Like a Dream and Secret Love in Peach Blossom Land. He’s also the co-founder of the Wuzhen Theatre Festival and Huichang Theatre Village in China, and his Shanghai venue, Theatre Above, is dedicated entirely to his work.
Stan joins us today to discuss his new book, CreativitRy: Asia’s Iconic Playwright Reveals the Art of Creativity, coming in November 2025 from Anthem Press — a transformative guide that blends memoir, Buddhist philosophy, and practical methods for unlocking the creative potential that lives within each of us. https://a.co/d/56PRqeG
5 Questions
- The Source of Creativity
- Stan, you’ve said that CreativitRy explores “where creativity lives — within each and every one of us.” How did your own creative process as a playwright and director lead you to this realization, and what inspired you to put these ideas into book form?
- From Stage to Page — Translating Art into Insight
- Your plays are known for their emotional depth and philosophical reach. How was writing about creativity — in prose rather than in performance — a different kind of creative act for you?
- Buddhist Wisdom and Creative Flow
- You describe the book as rooted in Buddhist thought, guiding readers to unlock creativity through introspection rather than productivity hacks. How do mindfulness and spiritual awareness shape your own approach to artistic creation?
- Creativity as Education — A New Frontier
- CreativitRy is being adopted as the foundational text for a new Department of Creative Studies at major Chinese universities. How did that initiative come about, and what does it say about the growing importance of creativity in education and society today?
- The Universality of the Creative Journey
- You’ve been praised by artists like Ang Lee and Jack Ma for bridging the arts, business, and human growth. What do you hope readers — whether they’re artists, entrepreneurs, or students — will take away from CreativitRy about living a truly creative life?
Stan, as we close, what’s one piece of advice you’d offer to someone who feels disconnected from their creativity — someone who wants to rediscover that creative energy in everyday life?
Thanks to our sponsor, White Cloud Coffee — fueling creative conversations everywhere. Listeners, enjoy 10% off your first order at whitecloudcoffee.com.
And be sure to download your free e-book of Your World of Creativity when you visit mark-stinson.com
